Bobbin transfer mechanism for looms with stationary magazines



July 11, 1944. J. STUER 2,353,323

BOBBIN TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS WITH STBITIONARY MAGAZINES Filed June 29, 1940 4 Sheets-Shet 1 July 11, 1944. s u 2,353,323

' BOBBIN TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS W ITH STATIONARY MAGAZINES Filed Jane 29, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 M .Xiaiz INVENTOR.

'FIELS- J. STUER, 2,353,323

,BOBBIN TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS WITH STATIONARY MAGAZINES July 11, 1944.

Filed June 29, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 11,1944. STUER 2,353,323

BOBBIN TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS WITH STATIONARY MAGAZINES Filed June 29, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIE.I9- L;

WW VXZZVENTOR Patented July 11, 1944 UNITED OFFICE BOBBIN TRANSFER MECHANISIVI FOR LOOMS WITH STATIONARY MAGA- ZINES Joseph Stuer, Lawrence, Mass.

Application June 29, 1940, Serial No. 343,230

8 Claims. (01. 139232) This invention relates to looms for weaving, of the type in which there is a fixed magazine with vertical guide ways down which bobbins move and from which they are forced into a shuttle, each to replace a bobbin on which the thread is almost exhausted. It is also particularly for this type of magazine loom wherein there are a plurality of shuttle boxes each with a plurality of vertical shuttle cells at one or both sides of the loom.

With this we1lknown type of loom, there are means provided whereby some of the shuttle boxes are moved so that a different shuttle is picked from a. different cell according to a predetermined sequence. vice is to provide mechanism whereby the shifting of the shuttle boxes can be so arranged that thread from one shuttle is laid in the warp and then thread from another shuttle and to repeat this, preferably providing for three, four or five shuttles so that the picks will lay in the Warp with no two adjoining picks from the same shuttle.

I am aware that there are looms for this purpose with a rotary magazine containing twelve or more bobbins but with my arrangement a stationary magazine which can accommodate forty or more bobbins can be used, thus saving time and labor for the weaver and allowing him to run more looms. Another advantage of my device is that the feeler devices which determine when the thread on a bobbin in any shuttle is almost exhausted are on the magazine side and may be located at the back or at the front of the loom whereby bobbin transfer is more quickly made.

With such looms, the shuttle boxes on the receiving and on the delivering end of the lay must be on the level with the race and as the shuttle is picked when the lay is near the back, if my feeler is at the back, when the shuttle receiving box with the shuttle and the lay goes back, the feeler acts so as to operate the bobbin transfer mechanism on the next forward movement; When my feeler is at the front, the feeling or indication occurs at or during the forward movement after which the lay moves back and again forward when bobbin transfer occurs.

Many of the parts of the loom are old and well-known and I will make the description of them very brief.

Referring to mycopending application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 250,555 of January 24, 1939, now Patent No. 2,207,078, July 9, 1940, this invention is an adaptation of The purpose of this de--,

the actuator or actuating devices, which, as shown therein, are applied to a loom with a rotary magazine and as operating the transfer dog and the thread cutting mechanism, to a loom with a fixedmagazine having a plurality of bobbin guideways of a well-known type.

In such application, the actuator is called loaded means and it is described as being held in operable position by a latch while in this application I call the latch a trigger arm.

The principle of such an actuator is a hub revolubly mounted on a stud and including connections with the transfer dog and a connecting rod which is associated with a finger which is held by a trigger arm in a position where the actuator spring is held under tension so that vhen this trigger arm releases it, the actuator moves to produce certain results. This trigger arm can be released by a solenoid, controlled by a feeler on the loom frame near the back of the magazine preferably above the shuttle race, which operates a switch in a solenoid circuit, or by a feeler of the same electric type on the loom frame near the front of the magazine but movable up and down with the shuttle box so that it is always in operative relation with the top cell of that shuttle box, or by a feeler at the front which is mechanically connected with the trigger arm.

Preferably the actuator is connected with the revoker mechanism by a connecting rod and with revoluble or reciprocating fingers each of which pulls down a slide against a spring whereby a cradle of well-known type is moved to drop its bobbin into the giveways but the finger immediately thereafter releases the slide so that its spring returns it and its cradle to their regular positions where the cradle can receive the next bobbin from its guideway.

The actuator, therefore acts instantaneously like the hammer of a gun when released by the trigger arm to set the transfer mechanism, and other parts for transfer. Such release is accomplished by theaction of a feeler either when the lay is at the back position or near the back position or at the front position or near the front.

Provision, of course, is made for returning the parts to their normal positions which is when the actuator is cocked, in which position, it and the other parts remain during the greater part of the operation of the loom.

The principal showing in the drawings is for use in a shuttle shifting type of loom for use on plain work but by some changing of the paddles, arms or fingers which operate the slides and their connections, it can be adapted for work in which there are bobbins of different colors in the shuttles and in the magazine associated with well-known color indicating devices.

The main features of this device are the fingers each of which can push shown a nose carried by a slide which operates a cradle and then lets go of the nose so that a spring Will return each slide and each cradle to its usual position. This does away with setting a slide having two noses by one movement which moves the slide up and by another movement which moves it down. By combining the two motions in one, I can accomplish transfer on a single beat or on two beats and without the shuttle leaving the magazine side after the feeler has indicated transfer.

This case is a continuation in part of Serial No. 322,308, filed March 5, 1940.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a diagrammatic front elevation of a well known type of loom with movable drop boxes on each side and a stationary magazine, there being two boxes only on the magazine side, this being'the preferred arrangement for my attachments, the working parts being broken away to expose the background.

Fig. 2 is an isometric view from the front left of a loom with my devices in place.

Fig. 3 is an elevation from the right of a transferrer and its dog when the dog is first engaged by the bunter in full lines, and in dotted lines showing the extreme movement of the hunter and dog during transfer.

Figs. 4 and 5 are details as from the left showing the position of the actuator, dog and bunter before and after the actuator is released from the trigger arm.

Fig. 6.is a detail partly in section as from the back showing one of the magazine slides and with the paddle wheel which moves it.

Fig. 7 is a detail showing the two pawls which control the movement of the paddle wheel and shaft.

Fig. 8 is a detail showing the preferred type of rocker arm and trigger arm in full lines in the normal position and in dotted lines after the actuator has been released.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a feeler with its top plate removed. In full lines it shows the normal position of the feeling finger and in dotted lines its position when it is pushed back and in other dotted lines, when it slips on a bobbin.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a feeler when its slide and feeling finger are retracted during transfer.

Fig. 11 is an elevation as from the right showing the manner in which the feeler slide is moved up and down.

Figs. 12 and 13 are side elevations similar to Fig. 3, showing the position of the hunter, dog, feeler, and other parts at different stages of the operation.

The full lines in Fig. 12 show the position of the parts when the feeler is about to enter the shuttle cell and the dotted lines when the feeler first engages the rocker arm. The full lines in Fig. 13 show the hunter going back at the position where the rocker arm has released the dog and the dog has just come up into transferring position while the dotted lines show the feeler slide in its position when it is withdrawn by the transferrer at the end of its transfer action which occurs during the next pick after the one during which the dog was raised'to the position shownin full lines.

Fig. 14 is a diagram 'somewhatsimilar to Figs. 4 and 5, showing a trigger arm released by a solenoid the electric circuit through which is controlled by a feeler carrying a contact.

Fig. 15 is a diagram showing a feeler of the electric contact carrying type in another location.

Fig. 16 is a diagram showing a feeler of the electric contact carrying type located at the back and controlling a solenoid and a trigger arm.

Fig. 1'7 is an elevation from the left showing the details of a modification of the fingers for operating the slide bars and Fig. 18 is an elevation as from the right of Fig. 17.

Fig. 19 is an elevation similar to Fig. 18 showing another modification of the slide bar operating fingers.

L is the lay and 9 is the reed carried by the shuttle race. A represents the shuttle box assembly on the side of the loom opposite the magazine including the cells; 3, 4, 5, 6 vertically movable by mechanism of a well-known type indicated by l.

C represents a shuttle box assembly of two shuttle cells l and 2, on the magazine side, which are movable vertically by any usual mechanism, such as 8 also of a well-known type.

M is the magazine with four vertical guideways; 2|, 22, 23, and 24, at the bottom of each of which is a cradle D, each of which receives a bobbin and when tipped allows it to roll down on the giveways 25, 25. The bobbin shifting is obtained by means of cradles D, D, each operated by one of the four slide bars, P, P, P, P, slot 29 and pin 28. This construction is substantially the same as usual but my control devices are as follows:

G is the sliding shaft of color control which is caused to rotate step by step by a ratchet 4!) moved by pawl 4| pivoted to the link rod N and 42 indicates two catches one of which is of the gravity type and the other of which is operated 'by a spring 43 so that where, as shown, there are eight teeth on the ratchet, and it is moved one-eighth of a revolution by the pawl it is then prevented from moving back and is held in that position by catches 42.

44, 45, 46 and 41 represent paddles fixed to this shaft G each having fingers extending in opposite directions. These fingers are so arranged as shown in Fig. 6 that their ends 52 are one-eighth of a circumference or 45 degrees apart. On each slide bar P is a nose such as 50 and each slide bar P is normally held up by a spring such as 5|.

I will call each of the shafts G, and l30 the slide finger shaft as it may be connected to the color control means as is 90 and I30 or not so connected as G.

The parts are so arranged that as the shaft G is moved step by step, the end 52 of one of the fingers will move forty-five degrees engaging a nose 5!] on a slide bar P and moving the slide bar down against the pull of its spring 5| whereby it rocks one of the cradles D thereby spilling out the bottom bobbin from that particular guideway, but when the end 52 passes beyond the nose 50,it allows the spring 5| to return the slide P to its usual'position. This allows the cradle D to turn back, after dropping one bobbin to a position to receive the next bobbin above.

As shown each cradle is pivoted and has a pin-28 which enters a slot 29 carried by a slide I pivot the pawl 4| to the link N which extends from the revoker shaft 48 to an adjusting slot in arm II of actuator 0, so that it is moved up and down with the actuator O. This actuator O is free to move on a stud I I and has another arm I2 which connects by rod I with the cutting mechanism I00;

A third arm' I3 of this actuator 0 extends around and down and then towards the back and ends at IS in a position to engage a stud I1 carried by the transfer dog '26 pivoted at I8 on the transferrer H and extending back at I9 in a position to be engaged by the bunter 20 carried by the lay L when the lay beats up provided this part I9 of the transfer dog is lifted by end I6 pushing on stud I1 when the spring It is allowed to operate. This spring IEI provides the motive power for actuator O and tends to move it to the position shown in Fig. 5.

This spring II) is prevented from operatin by an arm 66 which, as shown in Fig. 2, is pivoted at IIJI on the loom frame with cutting mechanism indicated by I60 so that they move together.

- The end of arm 60 engages a notch 6| on a trigger arm K pivoted at 62 and must be released to permit spring I0 to move the arms II, I2 and I3.

As shown, a mechanical feeler F or an electrical feeler 3| is carried by a slide 1'1 vertically slidable in a guideway in a bracket 13 fastened to the loom body J. This slide is caused to move up and down with the top cell I of shuttle box assembly C by a rod 19 which connects slide 11 with the bottom of mechanism 8, which raises and lowers the assembly C in a well known manner, the bottom of rod 19 being pivotally connected to mechanism 8 near the bottom and near the pivots of the lay.

I can use a feeler F as shown in Fig. 9, of a known type with a feeling finger 10 pivoted at II andcarried by a slide 12, the finger 10 being connected to a plate 13 which, when the finger 10 slips on the bare bobbin and moves on its pivot 1| is projected under the end 14 of a rocker R pivoted at 15 on the body J of the loom and extending out at 16 over the free end 69 of the trigger arm K and preferably around it in a loop so that both must move up and down together. When feeler finger 1B pivots and plate 13 is moved under the end 14 of the rocker arm, as feeler F is carried by slide 11 and as the top cell I of this assembly is still moving upward, this plate 13 rocks the rocker R and releases the trigger arm K.

As shown in Figs. 14 and 15, I can also use a medially pivoted trigger arm 80 with a notch 8| and connected by a wire 82 with a solenoid device 30 which is connected to and controlled by a feeler device 3| including a switch 32 to open and to close the circuit indicated by 33. The feeler device 3| is at the front of the magazine and movable up and down with the top cell I, being carried by a slide such as 11 as in the mechanical construction.

In either construction, a pin I12 on the transferrer H can engage a pin I13 on a slide such as 12 and pull the feeler finger such as 10 out of the shuttle during transfer.

When this feeler 3| slips on the bare barrel of a bobbin it closes a circuit for the solenoid 30 which pulls the wire 82 and lifts the end 83 of this trigger arm thus depressing the other end 84 and releasing the end of the arm 60 from notch 8| thus permitting the spring II) on stud I4 to lift the arm I I with the link N and pawl 4| .and turn the shaft G one-eighth of a revolution and at the same time causing the part I6 of the actuator O to engage stud I1 thus swinging upward the dog 26 of the transferrer H into position to be struck by the bunter 29. As the hammer part 21 of the transfer mechanism, which forces the new bobbin into the shuttle, is connected to and operated by this dog 26, the bobbin is transferred. As it is necessary to reset the parts by moving the arm 60 back to be engaged by the notch t! or 8 i, I provide a, light spring 66 on arm K while the weight of wire 82 and of the solenoid armature are sufficient to return arm 80 to en gaging position with arm 60.

When the feeler releases the trigger arm from the actuator O, the actuator 0 moves instantly to set the parts for transfer and transfer is accomplished by the bunter 20 on lay L engaging dog 26 on the next pick. As the lay continues to move forward during transfer, the hunter and dog move the arm I3 of the actuator forward and this allows the arm 60 to again be engaged and held by the notch 6i and 8| on trigger arm K or 88.

The bunter 26 and dog 26 can be so adjusted that the bunter is moving down in an arc and, during transfer, the dog is moving with it so that the box assembly C is being held up by the dog as well as by mechanism 8.

The action of bunter 26 on dog tip I9 and dog pivot I8 and dog stop I I6 is such that. as shown in Figs. 3 and 13, pivot I8 is resisting the downward, forward pressure of bunter 20 and is therefore holding up box mechanism C.

This arrangement of a dog pivoted to a transferrer arm with a bunter carried by the top of a drop box at a point higher than the dog pivot can be used under any type of magazine.

The feeler, the transfer dog, rocker arm and bunter must all be correctly adjusted with reference to each other because if the rising feeler moved the rocker arm or solenoid too soon thus releasing the trigger arm and allowing the actuator to throw up the dog, this might hit the bunter before it moved back from its extreme forward position.

In Fig. 12, in full lines, is shown the position of the dog at the time when the feeler first comes in contact with the bobbin in the shuttle. In the dotted position is shown the feeler, the shuttle and the bunter as they move upward, the bunter and shuttle moving also forward. The dotted lines show the extreme forward position of the bunter, the dog then still being in the down position.

In Fig. 13, the feeler has moved up a still greater distance and in so doing has brought pin I13 up in front of pin I12 and has tripped the trigger arm K and has started the arm I3 of actuator O to throw the dog up into position for transfer. In the meantime, however, the shuttle and the bunter have been moving up and back so that the bunter has moved back just out of the path of the dog as shown in Fig. 13. After this, the lay, shuttle and bunter continue to move farther back and then on the forward movement during the next pick, the bunter engages the dog forcing it and the transferrer forward to accomplish the transfer and also moving forward pins I12 and I13 and the slide 12 of the feeler carrying the feeling finger 70 so as to take it out of the shuttle.

As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 16, a feeler I which controls a switch I2I for the electric circuit through solenoid can be located at the back of the magazine instead of the front.

With a feeler which closes the electric circuit for a solenoid by controlling a make and break switch, the solenoid is momentarily energized long enough to release the trigger arm which has therefor been moved by the spring such as IE1 along with the dog so that everything is almost instantaneously set for transfer.

If the feeler is at the back of the magazine, it moves when the lay is in the back position and sets the parts fOn transfer so that as the lay beats up, the transfer could be made immediately if the shuttle with the bobbin to be transferred was in the right osition at the front of the loom but the time interval is so short that I find it desirable to arrange the feeler on the front side below the magazine and so movable as to follow the top cell and to indicate transfer near the forward movement instead of near the back. With this arrangement, the parts are set for transfer during one forward beat up and the transfer is made on the next beat up.

The advantage of the feeler at the front instead of at the back and on the magazine side, which does not move back and forth but does move up and down with the top cell of the shuttle box carried by the lay, is that there is no delay in transfer as it occurs at the next pick after indication instead of waiting for a number of picks before transfer is accomplished.

There is no danger of two bobbins trying to get into one shuttle or of any other kind of jam occurring during the delay between indication and transfer as there is almost no delay.

As shown in Fig. 1'7, my device can be adapted for use with the type of stationary magazine looms in each of which is a number of vertical bobbin guides in each of which are bobbins of colors different from those in the other guides. In Fig. 17, the magazine slide bars which connect with the cradle are indicated by 34, 35, 36 and 3'! and, as shown, there are two paddle wheels 80 and BI both carried by a hub 82, shown as fixed to the sliding shaft of color control 93 as by a screw 9i. Paddle wheel 83 has eight fingers 84, 84 and paddle wheel 3| has eight fingers B5, 35. One finger such as B! of each paddle wheel is always just above the top line of noses 38 but only one is opposite the nose of the slide to be moved. The sliding shaft of color control 90 is moved in the usual way as by the bell crank lever 92 through the bearing 93 and also through the bearings 94 and 95 and it has a spline 96 whereby a ratchet 88 with a key 89 will turn with shaft 93 but will not slide back and forth with it when moved by the bell crank lever 92 of the color control mechanism. This ratchet 33 is substantially the same as and there is also a spring latch IIIl to keep it from turning back after it has been moved by a pawl 91 on link rod N.

As shown the slide bars 34, 35, 33 and 31 each has a nose shown at 38, 38, as straight on two of them and as extending sideways and forward at 39, 33 on the other two.

The operation of the slide bars 34, 35, 36 and 31 is the same as P. P. P. P. except that the paddle wheels each with eight fingers are so spaced and enlated to them that there is always one of the eight fingers opposite the particular slide and the nose to their original position.

.bar which controls the cradle at the'bottom of the bobbin guideway for the particular color which is indicated. Therefore, if transfer is indicated for a bobbin with blue yarn in the shuttle for that particular color and the actuator moves the pawl and ratchet one-eighth of a revolution, that particular slide bar for a guideway in which are blue bobbins, with its cradle, is moved to drop a bobbin into position so that it can be transferred into the shuttle which requires that particular color.

The main feature of my device is the arrangement of the slide fingers with reference to the slide noses of the cradle actuating slides. By arranging a plurality of such fingers and causing them to move in a complete circle, each one can engage a nose and then slip off the edge or end allowing the slide spring to return the slide This does away with the necessity of two motions, one for setting and the other for operating. See Fig. 18.

With my trigger release mechanism for the actuator, the connecting link such as N moves up and remains up until the actuator is reset. Each finger moves a nose and slide and slips off, the nose and slide returning to their original positions. With a revolving shaft and four or eight fingers, when one has moved a slide and released it, another finger is in position with another nose and slide and with a pawl and ratchet connection, the shaft turns step by step. I can however use one or more fingers each pivotally connected to the sliding shaft of color control which is given a reciprocating instead of a step by step motion by a link such as N and which also is given an axially sliding motion by the color control devices such as shown in Figs. 16 and 1'7.

Such a construction is shown in Fig. 19 Where the shaft I33 is like shaft of Fig. 1'7 being given an axial motion by the color control devices and being given a reciprocating motion by an arm I3I directly pivoted to the link N. Shaft I33, as shown, may carry one, two or more arms I32 to each of which is pivoted at I33 a finger I34 of the pawl type. Each finger I34 has a stop I35 and a returning spring I36. Arms I32 will move back and forth with link N and any finger I34 which is opposite a slide nose will push that nose and its slide down and then slip off the end allowing the nose and slide to return.

Such a finger, and in fact all of the fingers, will remain below the nose or noses until the actuator and the other parts are reset, upon which the top end I31 of each finger I34 will slip by the bottom I38 of any nose under which it happens to be and will return to its original position.

With this arrangement of fingers, only one should be in a position to engage a. nose at any one time.

In either construction shown and described in Figs. 16, 1'7, 18, and 19, the'slides and noses should be 50 arranged that one finger and only one finger will be moved to operative position by the color control means.

I claim:

i. In an automatic shuttle shifting and bobbin transfer loom having a fixed bobbin magazine with a plurality of bobbin supporting guideways, each having a receiving and discharging cradle at the bottom, there being. anextension guideway from each cradle to thebobbin transfer position under the bobbin transfer hammer, a shifting shuttle box with two cells on the magazine side and ashifting shuttle box on the other side with a plurality of cells together with automatic mechanism to shift the boxes in a predetermined manner and a spring pressed bobbin change actuator to move a transfer dog into transferring position; a plurality of cradle actuating slides each held by a spring to normally retain a cradle in bobbin receiving position and each having a nose; a revoluble slide finger shaft rotatable step by step in one direction only, means to so rotate the shaft connected to the actuator, said shaft carrying a plurality of slide operating fingers one of which, when the slide finger shaft rotates, engages the nose of a slide and against its slide spring moves that slide and its cradle so as to release a bobbin and continuing to move, releases the nose to allow the spring to return the slide and to return its cradle to bobbin receiving position; spring latch means to hold the actuator in inoperative position; a weft feeler on the magazine side of the loom frame; and means under the control of the feeler for releasing the spring latch means and thereby permitting the actuator to move the slide finger shaft and the fingers; and connections operable by the lay beam to return the actuator to inoperative position,

2. In an automatic shuttle shifting and bobbin transfer loom having a fixed bobbin magazine with a plurality of bobbin supporting guideways, each having a receiving and discharging cradle at the bottom, there being an extension guideway from each cradle to the bobbin transfer position under the bobbin transfer hammer, a shifting shuttle box with two cells on the magazine side and a shifting shuttle box on the other side with a plurality of cells together with automatic mechanism to shift the boxes in a predetermined manner and a spring pressed bobbin change actuator to move a transfer dog into transferring position; a plurality of cradle actuating slides each held by a spring to normally retain a cradle in bobbin receiving position and each having a nose; a revoluble slide finger shaft rotatable step by step in one direction only, means to so rotate the shaft connected to the actuator, said shaft carrying a plurality of slide operating fingers one of which, when the slide finger shaft rotates, engages the nose of a slide and against its slide spring moves that slide and its cradle so as to release a bobbin and continuing to move, releases the nose to allow the spring to return the slide and to return its cradle to bobbin receiving position; spring latch means to hold the actuator in inoperative position; a weft feeler on the magazine side of the loom frame; and means under the control of the feeler for releasing the spring latch means and thereby permitting the actuator to move the slide finger shaft and the fingers; and connections operable by the lay beam to return the actuator to inoperative position.

3. In an automatic shuttle shifting and bobbin transfer loom having a fixed bobbin magazine with a plurality of bobbin supporting guideways, each having a receiving and discharging cradle at the bottom, there being an extension guideway from each cradle to the bobbin transfer position under the bobbin transfer hammer, a shifting shuttle box with a plurality of cells on the magazine side and a shifting shuttle box on the other side with a plurality of cells together with automatic mechanism to shift the boxes in a predetermined manner and a spring pressed bobbin change actuator to move a transfer dog into transferring position; a plurality of cradle actuating slides each held by a spring to normally retain a cradle in bobbin receiving position and each having a nose; a revoluble slide finger shaft rotatable step by step in one direction only, means to so rotate the shaft connected to the actuator, said shaft carrying a plurality of slide operating fingers one of which, when the slide finger shaft rotates, engages the nose of a slide and against its slide spring moves that slide and its cradle so as to release a bobbin and continuing to move, releases the nose to allow the spring to return the slide and to return its cradle to bobbin receiving position; spring latch means to hold the actuator in inoperative position; a weft feeler on the magazine side of the loom frame; and means under the control of the feeler for releasing the spring latch means and thereby permitting the actuator to move the slide finger shaft and the fingers; beam to return the actuator to inoperative position.

4. In a bobbin changing mechanism for a loom; a plurality of cradle actuating slides each slide held by a spring to normally retain a cradle in bobbin receiving position and each having a nose; a revoluble slide finger shaft rotatable step by step in one direction only, said shaft carrying a plurality of slide operating fingers carried by the shaft one of which, when the slide finger shaft rotates, engages the nose of a slide and against its slide spring moves that slide and its cradle so as to release a bobbin and continuing to move, releases the nose to allow the spring to return the slide and to return its cradle to bobbin receiving position; said slide spring and means to so rotate the slide finger shaft.

5. In a bobbin-changing m using a plurality of shuttles and having vertical shifting shuttle boxes, a reserve bobbin magazine having a plurality of stacks of bobbins and a weft feeler all on the same side of the loom; bobbin releasing mechanism for releasing a reserve bobbin from said magazine for transfer into the upper box'of said shifting shuttle boxes including a cradle normally in receiving position to contain a bobbin, a cradle slide connected to the cradle and having a projecting nose, a spring to normally hold up the slide and the cradle in bobbin receiving position, a slide finger carried by a slide finger shaft in position. to engage such nose and against the slide spring to move that slide and its cradle so as to release a bobbin and continuing to move to cause the finger to slip off such nose and to release the slide and allow the spring to return the slide and its cradle to bobbin receiving position; and mechan sm controlled and set in motion by movement of the weft feeler when weft exhaustion is indicated thereby, to actuate the bobbin releasing mechanism.

6. In a bobbin-changing loom using a plurality of shuttles and having vertical shifting shuttle boxes, a reserve bobbin magazine and a weft feeler all on the same side of the loom; bobbin releasing mechanism for releasing a reserve bobbin from said magazine for transfer into the upper box of said shifting shuttle boxes including a cradle normally in receiving position to contain a bobbin, a cradle slide connected to the cradle and having a projecting nose, a spring to normally hold up the slide and the cradle in bobbin receiving position; a slide finger pivoted to the loom in front of the slide with its tip in position over the nose; and mechanism controlled and set in mot on by movement of the Weft feeler when weft exhaustion is indicated thereby, to actuate and connections operable by the lay;

the bobbin releasing mechanism by moving the tip of the finger against the nose of the slide until the tip of the finger clears the nose.

'7. In a bobbin-changing loom using a plurality of shuttles and having vertical shifting shuttle boxes, a reserve bobbin magazine having a plurality of stacks of bobbins and a weft feeler all on the same side of the loom; bobbin releasing mechanism for releasing a reserve bobbin from. said magazine for transfer into the upper box of said shifting shuttle boxes, including a cradle at the bottom of each stack, a cradle slide connected with each cradle and having a projecting nose, a tension spring attached to the top of each slide, a turnable slide finger shaft, a plurality of slide fingers spaced around the shaft and each posi tioned in front of a nose, and step by step mechanism to turn the slide finger shaft in an arc to cause'the tip of a finger to engage a nose and continuing to move to slip off the nose and release the slide; and mechanism controlled and set in motion by movement of the weft feeler when weft exhaustion is indicated thereby, to actuate the bobbin releasing mechanism.

8. In an automatic shuttle shifting and bobbin transfer 100m. having a fixed bobbin magazine with a plurality of bobbin supporting guideways, each having a receiving and discharging cradle at the bottom, there being an extension guideway from each cradle to the bobbin transfer position under the bobbin transfer hammer, a shifting shuttle box with two cells on the magazine side and a shifting shuttle box on the other side with a plurality of cells; a, plurality of cradle actuating slides each held by a spring to normally retain a cradle in bobbin receiving position and each having a nose; a revoluble slide finge shaft rotatable step by step in one direction only, means to so rotate the shaft, said shaft carrying a plurality of slde operating fingers one of which, when the slide finger shaft rotates, engages the nose of a slide and against its slide spring moves that slide and its cradle so as to release a bobbin and continuing to move, releases the nose to allow the spring to return the slide and to return its cradle to bobbin receiving position; a weft feeler on the magazine side of the loom frame; and mechanism controlled and set in motion by movement of the Weft feeler when Weft exhaustion is indicated thereby, to actuate the slide finger shaft.

JOSEPH STUER. 

